


Trust

by vassalady



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Female Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-16
Updated: 2016-01-16
Packaged: 2018-05-14 08:48:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5737270
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vassalady/pseuds/vassalady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Claire and Karen meet regularly as their schedules allow and become friends that are there for each other when they need it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Trust

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to cifdopakarap for the prompt and Amuly for the _Friends_ suggestion

It began when Claire, by chance, was passing by Matt’s office and decided to drop in.

“Um, is Matt Murdock in?” Claire asked.

Karen Page, as the nameplate on her desk said, shook her head with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, Mr. Murdock’s gone home for the evening. I can make an appointment for you, if you’d like.”

“Oh, no, I’m just a friend.”

“Oh! Well, you know, he might be out getting drinks with Foggy. I was just about to lock up, would you like to come?”

Claire, following the same impulse that had led her up there, agreed. Neither Matt nor his partner were at the bar, but she stayed for a round of drinks with Karen. It was her night off, and Karen had an enthusiasm that Claire got caught up in. She enjoyed the evening, and when Karen asked if she’d like to join her again sometime, Claire agreed.

It took a little juggling of schedules, but they worked out a schedule of meeting in the evenings after Karen got off work and before Claire had to go in. They met for dinner or coffee (Karen’s secretly spiked), and talked about anything and everything.

A shortage of hands and increased street violence ended those evenings. Claire had to pull a double shift more and more often. One day, Karen met her in the morning with something hot to drink and a fresh bagel. Claire was forever grateful. From there, Karen kept showing up, and it became their new routine.

It was a particularly cold morning that Claire found Karen curled in on herself at their usual bench. She was hunched over and dressed nowhere near warm enough for the weather. There were no drinks and no paper bags next to her.

Claire’s exhaustion fled as panic set in. A second later, her training took of her panic, and she knelt in front of Karen.

“Hey, how long have you been out here?”

Karen sniffed. Her eyes and cheeks were both alarmingly red. “What time is it?” Her voice came out as a croak.

“Just after seven.”

Karen stared at Claire blankly for a moment. “Um, most of the night.”

“Oh, honey, we need to get you warm.”

Karen refused to go anywhere except back to Claire’s. Once there, Karen let Claire check her for frostbite and other injuries. Physically, Karen was fine. Whatever else was wrong was another matter.

Claire made hot chocolate and sat on the couch with Karen leaning against her, both sipping their drinks. Claire stroked Karen’s hair with her free hand.

“Do you want to talk to me about it?” Claire asked.

“No.”

Claire didn’t push. They both fell asleep with a Friends marathon in the background. When Claire woke up, Karen asked if she had any snacks, so they consumed the last of her chips and four bags of popcorn while watching crappy reality TV. 

It was good to see Karen laughing at the antics of the people on TV, and they threw popcorn at the screen and catcalled. 

When they reached the bottom of the last bag, Claire asked, “Want anything else?”

Karen shook her head. “Thanks for this. I…” She looked away, chewing her lip. Claire waited.

But Karen just shook her head and smiled at Claire. Then the smile slipped. “Oh, fuck, you’ve got a shift tonight? I’m so sorry, I-”

“Don’t worry about it, I’m off.”

Karen’s smile, a little more tentative this time returned.

“Look, if you want to stay the night, you’re welcome,” Claire said.

After a moment’s consideration, Karen nodded. “Thank you, Claire. For everything.”

A return gratitude stuck in Claire’s throat. It had been a long time since she’d had such an easy friendship as she had with Karen, one that didn’t rely on conditions or lies. So instead she gripped Karen’s hand tightly for a moment, and then said, “I need some real food. I’ll dig something up while you call your bosses and make sure they don’t go on a manhunt.”

“Oh, jesus, they would.” Claire chuckled as Karen dug around in her bag for her cell.

Karen didn’t say what was bothering her that night. Claire understood secrets. She had her own she didn’t plan to share with Karen any time soon.

But if there was a time she did want to share, Karen had Claire’s trust.


End file.
